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Is Including Class Rank Necessary in College Admissions?
One could make a strong argument that an applicant’s high school rank should be removed from college admissions decisions. There are a variety of reasons that assessing an individual’s class rank puts some students at an unfair disadvantage. For one, not all students have equal access to resources.
It also places students with similar GPAs and test scores at a handicap when comparing them with other students from the same school. Another reason that class rank inclusion may not be ideal has to do with inconsistent grading in classrooms. Teachers’ scoring is often subjective and varies by teacher which isn’t fair for students who take classes with stricter graders. It also causes increased pressure for students who feel the need to keep up in the ranking at the cost of their mental health and happiness.
Additionally, class rank creates a decrease in collaboration and fosters an environment of competition which can lead to undue stress and is not healthy for students who have to learn to work with others. With changing high school curriculums, class rank is not necessarily accurate or consistent either.
Leaning away from class rank enables universities to select students using a more holistic approach that focuses on their extracurriculars, personality, recommendations, and other achievements…
